Silver Linings
by lovleyest
Summary: He met her in the rain. Sasusaku.
1. Her

Sasuke tolerated the rain.

True, it was an inconvenience to most, but to him, he didn't mind it much. He would continue with his day, rain or not. A trivial matter such as the weather was not enough to really stop him.

The streets were quieter that day, in the city of Konoha. Sidewalks were flooded with puddles. People avoided them; Sasuke walked through them. Shops were bustling as many tried to catch shelter. Sasuke held an umbrella over his head and continued to stroll past.

He cursed at Naruto for making him grab something to eat. The nearest restaurants to his apartment were full, causing him to venture further into the city in search for quick grub.

A sliver of pink caught his eye as he passed a narrow alley.

It was a girl of pink hair and jade eyes. She was leaning against a damp wall, looking up towards the sky.

It was odd how her appearance contrasted the dull color around her. She attained a glow that appeared too bright for such weather. It were almost as if she were meant to start a fire; a fire that would light up Konoha on a day of this nature.

Sasuke began to walk on when her eyes met his.

"Hey, wait!"

His eyes shifted towards her.

"This weather, huh?" She smiled.

Sasuke didn't say anything.

"I want to show you somethig," the girl pointed to the sky, "look at the clouds."

He stared at her for a moment before following her finger. All he could see was a mass of grey. The sky remained untouched since the rain began to fall. He pondered what this stranger referencing to.

"As they move apart," her gaze still upward as she answered his questions, "you can begin to see their silver linings. It's quite astonishing."

She looked back at him and grinned softly. Her nose was red from the cold. Her hair was drenched. She held no umbrella. She was beautiful.

"Sakura! Get back in here!" the girl jumped as a voice bellowed from a door down the alley.

"I'm sorry, I gotta go!" she began sprinting away before pausing abruptly.

"Sorry I stopped you," she bowed, "I just wanted to share the moment with someone." Sakura looked up once more, "A few minutes ago, I even saw a piece of blue."

A smile, and she disappeared. The alley was dark once more. Sasuke stood in curiousity.

He looked at the sign of the shop that read 'Leaf Coffee.' It was brimmed with customers. The line ran to the other side of the room. The corner was piled with umbrellas dripping into a silver bucket.

Sasuke decided to go in. He looked up at the sky and saw his own piece of blue.

It was raining, anyway.

A/N: (& Naruto was forced to wait for his food.) Thanks for reading! Please review!


	2. Him

Sakura could not help but love the rain.

Maybe it was the smell, or the way it sounded when it hits the sidewalk. Maybe it was the way it coated the buildings with a type of glossy gleam.

Whatever it was, she couldn't tell. She's loved this type of weather since she was young. No reason came to mind when asked.

So when Ino called her in to get back to work, she was mildly disappointed.

It was understandable, though. The weather had pushed the customers off the streets and into the shops. It was busier than usual, and although she hadn't finished her break, she preferred to help her friend.

"Sorry to cut it short, Forehead," Ino called over her shoulder as she grabbed a fresh snack of cups, "but look at this line. Tenten and I are stumped."

Sakura waved her hand and continued to put on her hat. She rung her hair and water dripped on the floor.

"Ino, where's those cups?!" Tenten hollered.

"Coming!" Ino left the back room.

Sakura embraced the last moment of silence before stepping after the blond. She was right. Tenten and Ino were barely scraping the surface, and the line continued to grow. Sakura took her friend's place at the register.

Her eyes shifted to the end of the line. She paused.

It was the raven haired boy she stopped in the alley. How odd to think she had just talked to this complete stranger. How odd to think it was a one sided conversation. How odd to think that those few minutes spent with him felt like a world away.

Sakura automatically felt self conscious when she realized how handsome he was. Her soaked hair would definitely do her no good. But she didn't regret not using an umbrella. It was too tempting to glide in puddles when she stormed out of her apartment.

He reminded her, characteristically, of coal. Coal that would fuel a fire; a fire that would light up Konoha in a day of this nature.

"Hunk alert," Ino whispered.

When it came his turn, Sakura grew warm.

"Hello, nice to see you again," she smiled, "may I take your order?"

He stared back with obsidian eyes. His nose was red from the cold. He was completely dry. He had used an umbrella. He was beautiful.

"I'll take a coffee," he stated.

She hastily punched some numbers in and took his card. The crowd began to sizzle down as the rain became light.

She wanted him to stay for a little longer.

It was raining, anyway.

A/N: so I decided to add more in -yeey!


	3. Black

Sasuke concluded that he should leave.

But when jade eyes continuously flickered in his direction, he decided to extend his stay.

The dobe could wait an extra ten minutes. He's made Sasuke wait for longer. The steam rising from his coffee cup melted on his face, and with the additional glances from behind the counter, Sasuke was warm in his seat.

He didn't know why he decided on this café. To be honest, there was a better one a couple blocks down that just opened. Perhaps it's because this one wouldn't be as crowded. Or maybe it's because this one was closer to his apartment.

Either way, he was here. He didn't mind it too much.

When the clock hit two thirty, however, he had grown annoyed by his friend's texts.

_'SASUKEEEEEEEEEE'_

_'HURRY UP, I'M STARVING OVER HERE'_

_'I ASKED YOU TO GRAB SOME FOOD, NOT RUN ACROSS THE DAMN COUNTRY TEME'_

Sasuke jammed the phone deep into his coat pocket. With one last look at his mug, and one last side glance at the register, and one final gaze out the window, he stood. Stupid dobe, rushing him.

. . . . .

When he stood, a twinge of sadness echoed through her. She's felt it all before, but it seems, in another life. Perhaps under a moonlit sky; when the leaves rustled past in a wind much opposite of the wind offered today.

Something urged her to make him stay. She abruptly pushed it down. It was this type of selfishness that pushed her into intolerable waters. Waters she did not dare to enter once more. Her gaze soared down and she bit her lip.

"Geez, he's getting away," Ino whined from behind, "and here I was hoping I could seduce him from afar." Tenten laughed.

Their giggles grew silent, though, when a shadow loomed over Sakura's slumped form.

"May I take your order?" she looked up with a practiced smile that immediately fell.

It was him. He dropped five dollars in the tip jar, and with a curt nod, he left.

She stared after him in awe. Her heart did not flutter like it did before. Instead, she was fascinated.

Completely, utterly, undeniably intrigued by this boy.

She couldn't help but think about it all day. Her mind carried one more burden into the street lights of a night struck Konoha. She wondered, though, what did it matter? She would not see this boy again.

So why did his eyes plague her so?

_His eyes. His eyes. His eyes._

His eyes brimmed with a sorrow she knew well. Only because she sees that same sorrow in the mirror each day.

She fell asleep to black.


	4. White

Her eyes.

They were a pool of green; a glass he found the urge to break through. He wanted to swim deeper. What were behind those eyes that made them look so sorrowful?

Sasuke's heart did not flutter when he put the five dollar bill into the tip jar. As expected. An Uchiha heart does not falter for anyone. Instead, he was fascinated.

Completely, utterly fascinated with this strange girl.

She plagued his thoughts up until the walk to the Chinese Food place down the street, and even during the walk back to his apartment. She plagued his thoughts up the eerie two flights of stairs, sounding over their milky creaks. She plagued his thoughts as the key turned in his half broken lock. She plagued his thoughts as the sun set over Konoha, painting the sky a canvas of orange and blood red.

_She plagued his thoughts._

They quickly dissipated, however, when he saw Naruto, along with Neji, Kiba, Shikamaru, and Choji, sprawled across his tiny living room like a pack of monkeys. Four more guests had appeared. Sasuke glared.

"Oh, Sasuke, by the way," Naruto's eyes were glued to the screen as he played a video game with Shikamaru, "Neji, Kiba, Shika, and Choji are here."

Sasuke sneered as he tossed the food at the dobe's head and went to take a shower.

He knew one thing for certain. His friend was an idiot.

. . . . .

Sakura rose from her bed at 11 am. She barely achieved any sleep.

Running her hands down her cheeks in exasperation, she rolled out and proceeded to change. She reminded herself to ask the landlord about unclogging her kitchen sink. She made a mental note of groceries; including milk, eggs, and chicken. She observed that today was Wednesday, and that the super market three blocks down should be holding their usual sale. She ran through the list one more time while brushing her teeth.

It was only when she met the lazy breeze of Konoha air when _he_ reentered her mind. She cringed. Not again.

She was so tired, so done. And she didn't even know his name.

Sakura noticed that the puddles on the sidewalk had already evaporated. Buildings lost their watery gleam. Instead, the city was bathed with rays of a heated sun. The sky was cloudless; a bright blue.

More people resurfaced from their homes. The streets were brimmed with the life; and although Sakura found content in a quiet rain, she loved the bustle of citizens even more so.

She smiled. The world was so beautiful. Today, in particular, it radiated a white purity.

Her smile faded as quickly as it came, for through the glossy window of Leaf Cafe, she saw him again.

Black.

He pulled her in with just his presence.


	5. Discontent

Sakura entered the back room in a daze.

"Hey there," Ino greeted. The blonde was slurping a bowl of ramen, cross legged on a metal counter, enjoying her lunch break. Tenten called in sick today because the rain gave her a cold. Working the counter was Sai alone.

"Hey," Sakura was busy smoothing her hair down into a ponytail. She frowned when small baby hairs flew out erratically, leading her to do it again.

"You look...tired. You okay?" Her friend raised an eyebrow.

"I'm fine. Completely fine. Totally," Sakura turned briskly towards Ino with a frantic expression, "does my hair look okay? Are my eyes too puffy? I've gained weight recently. Did you notice? Do I look fat? Should I put some makeup on?" She didn't wait for an answer as she began scavenging her purse for some lip balm.

"No you're not, yes, no, not really, you always look fat, and that shade of lip gloss doesn't suit you," Ino flipped her hair.

Sakura tossed it back in her bag and groaned, collapsing into a metal chair.

"Really, what's up with you?"

In all honesty, she truly did not know. It's as if a switch flicked inside of her. This boy had been probing her mind since yesterday. Now that he was there, in the flesh, the tide grew into waves. She was drowning in her attraction. She hadn't felt this helpless since _that_ day.

"Are you sluts just going to sit there?" Sai greeted her with the usual rude comment, peeking his head through the door.

Sakura groaned once more.

She's going to have to face it sooner or later.

. . . . .

"So uh, why are we here again, teme?" Naruto sat with his hands behind his head.

Sasuke's eyes soared to the counter when the creepy worker was replaced with the pink headed girl.

"Hn."

"There's a new place that just opened up, we should go there," Naruto offered. But when the blond spotted her, his face was tickled with red, and he stared with awe. Sasuke wanted to slap the idiotic look off his friend's face.

"Damn, she's pretty," Naruto breathed, but quickly countered, "but Hinata-chan is prettier!"

Of course. Naruto and Hinata have been dating for several months now. The shy Hyuuga finally mustered the courage to ask him - yes, she asked _him_ - out on a date. They were an odd pair. Sasuke didn't really care.

"Did you com here for her?" Naruto wiggled his eyebrows and teased Sasuke from across the table.

When he didn't answer, however, Naruto's face paled.

"HOLY SHIT. YOU DID COME HERE FOR HER!"

A finger pointed towards Sakura. The whole shop's head turned towards them.

Sasuke swore in that moment, his eyes turned red.

He kicked Naruto's shin.


End file.
